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Uncle Bob - Clean AI: Agentic Discipline, Episode 1

Intro​

Uncle Bob - "I'm not an expert in this, because no one is an expert in this yet".

Using Claude Code CLI.

Bob makes a big deal out of showing us how long Claude takes when he asks it to follow the TDD laws, comparing it to the 80's/90's with the long compile times.

Testing Disciplines​

make a class named Stack, write no tests - Bug prone

make a class named Stack and follow the three laws of TDD - Full TDD

  • Claude assumes the Stack exercise for implementing a stack data structure
  • Claude happily runs the TDD cycle (GREEN, RED, GREEN)
  • Takes Claude longer, uses more tokens and burns more of Claude's short term memory vs just make a class named Stack, write no tests
  • Took >3 mins

create a class named Stack that implements a stack of integers. Write all the tests first, then implement

  • Took 43 seconds

Prompting Observations​

  • Bob runs a super vague prompt examine this code and improve as necessary
  • Prompts got higher level
  • Worried less about the code and more about architecture / design structure
  • Emphasis on code recedes into the background